Metal demolition shears with indexable, integrated wear plate/piercing tip

Abstract

The invention features an indexable wear plate/piercing tip insert that is configured to be removably and repositionably attached to the front, nose portion of the upper, movable jaw of a metal demolition shears. The insert functions as both a wear plate and a piercing tip and is indexable in that a non-worn or less worn portion of the wear surface of the wear plate portion of the insert, and non-worn shearing and piercing edges of the piercing tip portion of the insert, can be presented simultaneously simply by rotating the insert 180° and reattaching it to the nose portion of the upper, movable jaw of a metal demolition shears.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A metal demolition shears comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw for movement relative to the first jaw; and 
 a piercing tip insert attached at a nose portion of the second jaw in a first operative position, the piercing tip insert comprising a metal body having first and second ends and first and second sides, the metal body comprising
 a central region having a surface, 
 a first metal tip portion disposed at the first end, the first metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 a second metal tip portion disposed at the second end, the second metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a second piercing tip, 
 
 wherein the shears are shaped and configured such that the piercing tip insert can be detached from the second jaw and then attached to the second jaw in a second operative position in which the second piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, 
 wherein said second side of said body is opposite to said first side and has a generally planar surface to define a wear surface of said piercing tip insert. 
 
     
     
       2. A metal demolition shears comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw for movement relative to the first jaw; and 
 a piercing tip insert attached at a nose portion of the second jaw in a first operative position, the piercing tip insert comprising a metal body having first and second ends and first and second sides, the metal body comprising
 a central region having a surface, 
 a first metal tip portion disposed at the first end, the first metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 a second metal tip portion disposed at the second end, the second metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a second piercing tip, 
 
 wherein the shears are shaped and configured such that the piercing tip insert can be detached from the second jaw and then attached to the second jaw in a second operative position in which the second piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, 
 wherein the nose portion of the second jaw has a notch formed in an underside thereof; 
 wherein the notch has surface contours that mate with and match surface contours of the first metal tip portion when the piercing tip insert is in the first operative position; and 
 wherein the notch has surface contours that mate with and match surface contours of the second metal tip portion when the piercing tip insert is in the second operative position. 
 
     
     
       3. A metal demolition shears comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw for movement relative to the first jaw; and 
 a piercing tip insert attached at a nose portion of the second jaw in a first operative position, the piercing tip insert comprising a metal body having first and second ends and first and second sides, the metal body comprising
 a central region having a surface, 
 a first metal tip portion disposed at the first end, the first metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 a second metal tip portion disposed at the second end, the second metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a second piercing tip, 
 
 wherein the shears are shaped and configured such that the piercing tip insert can be detached from the second jaw and then attached to the second jaw in a second operative position in which the second piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, 
 wherein the piercing tip insert further comprises a plurality of bosses or dowels that are located between said metal tip portions and that extend laterally from said central region in the direction of the first side of said body; 
 wherein the nose portion of the second jaw has a plurality of bores or depressions extending laterally inwardly from a surface thereof; and 
 wherein the plurality of bosses or dowels extend into respective ones of the plurality of bores or depressions. 
 
     
     
       4. The metal demolition shears of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the second operative position is a position in which said piercing tip insert is rotated 180° relative to the first operative position about a pivot axis; and 
 the plurality of bosses or dowels are spaced equal distances away from the pivot axis. 
 
     
     
       5. A metal demolition shears comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw for movement relative to the first jaw; and 
 a piercing tip insert attached at a nose portion of the second jaw in a first operative position, the piercing tip insert comprising a metal body having first and second ends and first and second sides, the metal body comprising
 a central region having a surface, 
 a first metal tip portion disposed at the first end, the first metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 a second metal tip portion disposed at the second end, the second metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a second piercing tip, 
 
 wherein the shears are shaped and configured such that the piercing tip insert can be detached from the second jaw and then attached to the second jaw in a second operative position in which the second piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 wherein the nose portion of the second jaw has a pocket or cavity extending laterally inwardly from a surface thereof into which the second metal tip portion of the piercing tip insert extends when the piercing tip insert is in the first operative position. 
 
     
     
       6. The metal demolition shears of  claim 5 , wherein the first metal tip portion of the piercing tip insert extends into the pocket or cavity when the piercing tip insert is in the second operative position. 
     
     
       7. A metal demolition shears, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw for movement relative to the first jaw; and 
 a piercing tip insert attached at a nose portion of the second jaw in a first operative position, the piercing tip insert comprising a metal body having first and second ends and first and second sides, the metal body comprising
 a central region having a surface, 
 a first metal tip portion disposed at the first end, the first metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, and 
 a second metal tip portion disposed at the second end, the second metal tip portion protruding laterally with respect to the surface of the central region in the direction of the first side of the body so as to define a second piercing tip, 
 
 wherein the shears are shaped and configured such that the piercing tip insert can be detached from the second jaw and then attached to the second jaw in a second operative position in which the second piercing tip is presented for use and extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw, 
 wherein the first metal tip portion has a first shearing edge on the second side of said body that is in an operative shearing position when the piercing tip insert is attached to the second jaw in the first operative position, and 
 wherein the second metal tip portion has a second shearing edge on the second side of said body that is in an operative shearing position when the piercing tip insert is attached to the second jaw in the second operative position. 
 
     
     
       8. The metal demolition shears of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first metal tip portion has a first piercing edge that extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw when the piercing tip insert is attached to the second jaw in the first operative position; and 
 the second metal tip portion has a second piercing edge that extends at least partially across the width of the nose portion of the second jaw when the piercing tip insert is attached to the second jaw in the second operative position. 
 
     
     
       9. The metal demolition shears of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first jaw has a guide member spaced from and extending in generally parallel relation to said first blade member; 
 the second side of said body is opposite to said first side and has a generally planar surface to define a wear surface that abuts the guide member when the shears move from an open position to a closed position; and 
 the first and second shearing edges are coplanar with and form edges of said generally planar surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The metal demolition shears of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first piercing tip is disposed in a non-operative position when the piercing tip insert is in the second operative position; and 
 the second piercing tip is disposed in a non-operative position when the piercing tip insert is in the first operative position. 
 
     
     
       11. The metal demolition shears of  claim 7 , wherein the second operative position is a position in which said piercing tip insert is rotated 180° relative to the first operative position about a pivot axis.